Apple said that with iOS 16.2, the basic architecture of HomeKit was rebuilt. Although the company aims to increase performance with this update, it has been a problematic transition for some users.
Devices stuck in upgrade mode
HomeKit compatible devices are stuck in upgrade mode after the update is complete. Some reported that after a short time the issue resolved itself, while for others even a long wait didn’t work and some devices included in the HomeKit network became uncontrollable and the only solution was to re-add.
iOS 16.3 continues in beta
It is not yet known what causes these connection problems that HomeKit users experience. However, it has been reported that the problem persists in the recently released iOS 16.3 beta version.